After Maruti, Ford to drive into Gujarat

The Detroit-based company plans to invest Rs 5,000 crore to set up a three-lakh cars-per-annum plant in Gujarat. The state government has identified 400 acres of land near Sanand, where Tata Motors commissioned its Nano plant last year. Another 100 acres will be set aside for components units.

Ford India, the US car-maker's Indian subsidiary, already manages a Rs 1,700-crore manufacturing plant at Maraimalai Nagar, 45 km from Chennai with a peak capacity of two lakh units per annum. Ford India neither confirmed nor denied the development .

If Ford finalises on Gujarat , the state's dreams of becoming an auto hub will get a big boost. While General Motors and Tata Motors already have units in the state, companies like Maruti Suzuki are likely to finalise Gujarat to set up a one million car per annum plant soon.

Among other reasons, the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor - nearly 40 per cent of the corridor passes through Gujarat - and ports like Kandla and Mundra are seen as major attractions for the manufacturing sector.